Selecting and purchasing office chairs
When it comes to chairs, no one size fits all. The best chair addresses suitability, support and comfort for the individual.
The standard chair will only suit the average person's height and stature. Having a range of seating to cater for all of your workers' sizes and statures and the types of work they do is very important.
Whether setting up a new office space or as an ongoing/ad hoc purchase, identify a variety of chairs from your suppliers that meet a range of individual needs.
The right chair and the right set up at the outset has the potential to save your organisation significant time and money in the long run by preventing injuries and improving productivity.
Considerations when selecting and purchasing chairs
- The more adjustable the chair is, the more it can suit more individuals.
- Have a range of different chairs to accommodate small statured workers, average or tall workers (check chair specifications for seat pan dimensions and back rest height and design).
- An adjustable back rest and built in lumbar support give more comfort when sitting. Chairs with fixed backrests cannot be adjusted and those with no or little built in lumbar support are only for short periods of sitting.
- A seat slide adjustment can be an extra cost initially but will accommodate more workers. This can be particularly helpful when the chair is being used by multiple workers.
- The chair’s load capacity needs to be greater than an individual’s weight. Standard adjustable chairs are rated up to 120kg capacity.
- Consider the chair upholstery and whether it is suitable for the environment and easy to clean.
Who will be using the chair and how it will be used?
- Will multiple workers use the chair, for example hot desk arrangements or workplaces with a high staff turnover?
- Does the individual have a disability, medical or health requirement? If so, we recommend that a health provider, experienced in specialised ergonomic chair assessments reviews the case and recommends what chair design will best suit the worker to trial.
- What type of work is performed? For example, a task chair for computer-based work, 24 hour seating design for control room monitoring, or a chair for meetings.
Trial, warranty and service
- Check what components of the chair the warranty will cover. Find out what level of service is available with the chair warranty and whether the service provider is local to your business or whether there will be extra transport costs to have chairs maintained and repaired.
- Consider how retired chairs can be disposed of and recycled in an efficient and responsible manner.
Tips for adjusting office chairs are on the Creating healthy and safe computer work page.
Armrests
Armrests are optional purchases and can provide forearm support if the worker is unable to get adequate support from their desktop. Armrests can also assist workers who need support when lowering into and rising from the chair. Importantly, they should not prevent you from sitting close into your desk. When purchasing new chairs, think about the design and the need for armrests.
Generally, armrests should be:
- height adjustable and an offset design to allow user to get as close as possible to the desk
- padded and comfortable so that there is no contact stress around the elbow
- easily removed if they prevent the user from getting close to the desk.
Specific chair features and when they may be required
Chair feature | When required |
|---|---|
Seat pan depth – too long | A short statured worker will not be able to sit back into the chair and use the back rest if the seat pan is too deep. |
Seat pan depth – too short | A tall worker will not have adequate thigh support if the seat pan is not deep enough. |
Seat pan with a greater width than average | Workers with wider hips than average. |
Extra seat height adjustment in the gas lift and extra high back rest | Very tall workers that need to sit at a higher than average desk height to accommodate their height. Tall workers need to have backrests that support the length of their spines to at least the top of their shoulder blades. |
Heavy duty chairs designed to tolerate above 120kg body weight i.e. 140kg to 200kgs+ | Workers over 120kgs. |
Chairs designed for greater than an 8-hour shift use | Monitoring room workers and security officers |
Chairs designed to work at desks above standard office desk height | Work performed at high benches such as laboratories or at a front counter |
Seat coverings options to suit the work environment needs | ‘Clean’ sterile work rooms or ‘Dirty’ environments such as workshops and some industrial setting. |